Click Here to Print a Maker Movement Supply Chain: How Invention and Entrepreneurship Will Disrupt Supply Chain Design

Emerging technologies such as 3D printing promise to transform supply chain design and management. As these new technologies enable inventors to become entrepreneurs, new product introduction cycle times are being reduced and the variety of new products that are introduced through short channels of distribution is increasing. We show that these disruptive forces are growing and may have significant implications for practice, research, and teaching in supply chain management. We identify and elaborate important research questions, calling for theory‐driven research to explain and predict how these phenomena will impact supply chain management.     

Click Here for a Data Scientist: Big Data,Predictive Analytics,and Theory Development in the Era of a Maker Movement Supply Chain

Predictive analytics is impacting many diverse areas, ranging from baseball and epidemiology to forecasting and customer relationship management. Manufacturers, retailers, software companies, and consultants are creatively discovering new applications of big data using predictive analytics in supply chain management and logistics. In practice, predictive analytics is generally atheoretical; however, we develop a 2 × 2 model to explain the role of predictive analytics in the theory development process. This 2 × 2 model shows that in our discipline we have traditionally taken one path to theory development, but that predictive analytics can be a salient component of a comprehensive theory development process. The model points to a number of research questions that need to be addressed by our research community. These questions are not just highly relevant to the academic community but also in urgent need of answers to help practitioners execute the right strategies with greater precision and efficiency. We also discuss how one disruptive trend, the maker movement, changes the nature of who the producers are in the supply chain, making big data even more valuable. As we engage in higher levels of dialogue we will be able to make meaningful progress addressing these vital research topics.     

The Emerging Role of the Third‐Party Logistics Provider (3PL) as an Orchestrator

The connectivity and communication requirements of leading supply chains have created the emergence of a more advanced role for third‐party logistics providers 3PLs. They have evolved from providing logistics capabilities to becoming orchestrators of supply chains that create and sustain a competitive advantage. This article uses a theoretical perspective based on resource‐based theory, network theory and transaction cost economics, and a thorough literature review, to develop a model with seven propositions. Finally, using structured interviews of industry executives from a leading 3PL, we offer empirical support for the model and propositions that can be used to define the orchestrator role of a 3PL.